Butterfly Conservation - saving butterflies, moths and our environment
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saving butterflies, moths and our environment
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Sightings of Butterflies in Suffolk - 2026

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Send Us Your Sightings

The Branch is always grateful for butterfly records and a recording form can be downloaded from the Recording page. 
We are always interested in sightings of any butterflies in any location in Suffolk but we are particularly grateful for records away from the coast and information on the following species:
BAP species; Dingy Skipper, White Letter Hairstreak, Silver-studded Blue, White Admiral, Grayling, Small Heath, Wall Brown
Others; Green Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor, Chalkhill Blue (not Devil's Dyke)

Send Sightings by email to (please make sure you enter a subject) and they will appear below within a few days.
Clicking on the link should launch your usual email program.  If this does not seem to work just use the email address.

Please include the date, how many of each butterfly species seen, location with an ordnance survey grid reference if possible, and your name (if you want to).
If you would like to contribute to the annual survey please read the notes on the Recording page.

If you report a Brimstone this record will also be passsed to the Brimstone and Buckthorn project


 Regular recorders are urged to use this sightings page to inform others of interesting sightings, but please do continue to send all your records to the county recorder, James Corton, at the end of the season.  This can be done using a simple Excel spreadsheet and an example is on the Recording page (click here)

Date 
2026		 Butterflies seen (and other relevant information).  First Sighting of Year in Bold or Bold for rarer species
 For a summary of First Sightings see the Suffolk Butterflies Page - click here		 Location Grid Reference Name
         
May SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW SSW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF MF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 20       (📷 photo click here) 
         
         
12 May During the early afternoon sunshine at Market Weston Fen we had the following butterflies:  4+ Marsh Fritillary (📷 photo click here), Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Copper x 2, and Green-veined White x 3. Market Weston Fen   Rob and Kerry Reeve 
12 May Butterfly Transects 1 to 6 . Painted Lady 6, Green-veined White 6, Small Copper 5, Small White 5, Common Blue 1, Wall Brown 1 (f) (Suffolk side) SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
9 May Small Heath at Baylham.  (📷 photo click here)  Baylham TM099513 Paul Gilson
9 May Brown Argus at Playford.  (📷 photo click here)  Playford TM205476 Paul Gilson
9 May Butterfly Transects 1 to 9. Peacock 17, Painted Lady 12, Green-veined White 9, Holly Blue 7, Red Admiral 6, Wall Brown 5(m), Small Tortoiseshell 5, Orange Tip 3(m), Small White 2, Common Blue 2, Large White 2. SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
9 May Suffolk Butterfly Conservation and Buckthorn Project, and Garden Survey
Further to Sightings reports of 19 April and 6 May, the first finding of Brimstone eggs, x3 and x2, on the two Purging Buckthorn noted.  All were white to very pale.  The two bushes are 0.9 and 1.1 m high; the shortest with more prolific leaf production than the other.
A sunny day with the following butterfly sightings: x1 worn and torn Peacock, x1 f Brimstone, x1 Green-veined White, x2 m Orange-tip, x4 m+f Holly Blue, x1 m Common Blue, and x1 m Brown Argus (the first sighted this year). These recorded numbers do not reflect the multiple sightings of patrolling HB and OT. Also noted the first HB eggs on Ceanothus flower buds as in recent years.		 Beccles TM4390 Graham Jackson
9 May Suffolk Butterfly Conservation Brimstone and Buckthorn Project.
Update on earlier Sightings report of 19 April. The first identified Brimstone larva (📷 photo click here) hatched of the eggs laid on the Alder Buckthorn as previously reported.  Further egg laying was noted in the interval, but loss of eggs, presumably from predation - perhaps by ladybirds - did not result in increased total numbers. Currently around 75% have now become coloured yellow to brown, whereas the remainder are white to very pale indicating that they were more recently laid. 		Beccles TM4390  
9 May Early afternoon at Sudbourne Church we had the following butterflies: Brimstone x 2, Small Copper, Orange Tip x 6 (3 male and 3 female) Comma, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady x 2.   4+ Wall Brown (📷 photo click here) (the earliest date we have had this species here), and a Silver Y.  Regards  Sudbourne Church   Rob and Kerry Reeve  Debbie Broom 
9 May Rushmere Common (Heath) this afternoon, Another good showing (10+) of Small Heath, 10+ Brimstone, 3x Peacock, a few "whites", 2x Small Copper and 2x Painted Lady (one very tatty and one pristine)  (📷 photos of PL click here) Rushmere Common   Phil Watkinson
9 May There were 3 Wall Brown on the station. One posed for us on a lavender leaf which was great! Somerleyton Station   David and Lilian Pitt
9 May Found Wall Brown 4 (m) in the churchyard today. Somerleyton Church   David and Lilian Pitt
9 May Brown Argus out in big numbers at Flatford now. 15 seen in 1/2 hour (📷 photos click here)  NT Flatford   Julian Sidney
8 May Several Holly Blue (📷 photo click here) at Carlton Marshes today and a few Peacock. SWT Carlton Marshes   James Corton
8 May Kings Forest Off Ride 202.  11 Dingy Skippers, Common Blue, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Small White, Large White, Green veined White, Orange-tip, Peacock, Brimstone, Holly Blue. All on iRecord. 1 x Brown Argus at home in Thurston. Kings Forest   Trevor Goodfellow
8 May The following butterflies were seen at Bury cemetery today: Orange Tip, m., Green-veined White 2, Painted Lady 2, Red Admiral, Small Copper 2 (pair), Holly Blue 10. Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
8 May Butterfly Species update With Green Hairstreak (📷 photo click here)  and Common Blue seen today we now have 15 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
8 May Rushmere Heath this afternoon, A good showing of Small Heath (10+), A couple of tatty Peacocks, a few "whites", one Green Hairstreak and a "mud-puddling" Holly Blue.  (📷 photo click here)  Rushmere Heath   Phil Watkinson
7 May Brown Argus in Lowestoft Cemetery, showing the blue sheen nicely (they don't have any blue scales though).  (📷 photo click here)  Lowestoft   James Corton
7 May Butterfly Transects 1 to 6 . Speckled Wood 6, Painted Lady 4, Green-veined White 4, Holly Blue 3, Orange Tip 2(m), Small White 2, Red Admiral 2, Small Copper 2, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Green Hairstreak 1, Common Blue 1 (Norfolk side). With Common Blue (Norfolk Side of Reserve) and Red Admiral seen today ,we now have 16 Species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
6 May A second sighting of a Wall Brown in the cemetery. Very fresh—perhaps they are breeding again in this or nearby locations?  Lowestoft   James Corton
5 May I saw the following butterflies in the vicinity of Timworth church and village: Orange Tip 5, Small White 2, Green-veined White 5, Painted Lady, Red Admiral. Timworth   Martin Peers
5 May Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes with Wall Brown (f) seen on the (Norfolk side of reserve) and Painted Lady seen,we now have 14 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
5 May Garden Survey. Beccles TM4390: Dry sunny day, winds mostly gentle breeze from NE/ENE. Temperature reaching to 15 deg C. Noted frequent sightings of patrolling Orange-tip and HB in particular. Numbers are for recorded different individuals: Red Admiral x1, Painted Lady x1, Peacock x2, Brimstone f x 1, Large White f x1, Small White mm x2, Green-veined White x2, Orange-tip x3 (1 f), Holly Blue 3 (2f) (📷 photo click here), Common Blue x2 males. Red Admiral and Common Blue first sightings of the year on site. Although Holly Blue briefly adopted egg laying position on a pyracantha, no eggs were noted.  Beccles TM4390 Graham Jackson
5 May  Rushmere Heath this afternoon, A few Holly Blues, a few "Whites", one male Orange Tip and one Small Heath.  (📷 photo of SH click here)  Rushmere Heath   Phil Watkinson
5 May North cove (Barnby) Wall Brown, Brimstone, Orange-tip, green veined white, peacock, red admiral, speckled wood and Holly blue. All singles apart from ot, gvw and spw North Cove   Peter Smith
4 May A Painted Lady in the drizzle and mist today, looking newly arrived off the sea. After a few short flights and a lot of wing shivering, it went to roost in evergreen trees.  (📷 photo click here)  Lowestoft   James Corton
3 May Painted lady basking on footpath in Holton Holton TM3990678466 John Baker
2 May Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked by Peter Norfolk. Peacock 37, Orange-tip 8, Green-veined White 8, Painted Lady 4, Small White 3, Large White 1, Holly Blue 1, Wall Brown 1 (M). SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
2 May one Painted Lady East Lane Bawdsey   Steve Fryett
2 May Two Painted Lady butterflies seen (📷 photo click here) today. Earliest I have seen. Sudbury   Jeremy Ridout
1 May Dunwich forest (transect walk) records included a Large Tortoiseshell  Dunwich forest   Peter Smith
1 May First Small Copper of the year out in Lowestoft Cemetery. At least three adorning the buttercups. Occasional Speckled Wood too. (📷 photos click here) Lowestoft Cemetery   James Corton
1 May Butterfly Transects 1 to 9; Peacock 50, Green-veined White 11, Holly Blue 5, Small Tortoiseshell 4, Speckled Wood 3, Red Admiral 2, Large White 2, Small White 1, Orange-tip 1 (m), Painted Lady 1, Wall Brown 1 (m) SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
1 May This afternoon, Peacocks, Brimstones, Holly Blues, "Whites", one female Orange Tip and one very "pale"  Small Copper (📷 photos of OT & SC click here)  Landseer Park   Phil Watkinson
         
April SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW SSW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF MF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 17      
         
30 April First Small Heath of the year.  (📷 photo click here)  NT Flatford Mill   Julian Sidney
30 April Orange Tip 9, Green-veined White 28, Brimstone 2, Speckled Wood 16, Peacock 1, Small Copper 4, Green Hairstreak 11 (7 on one bush) [TL8074 Icklingham Way], Common Blue, 1 male same area as Green Hairstreaks. Kings Forest   Martin Peers
29 Apr Walked a Butterfly Transect for Somerleyton Estate. Small White 17, Green-veined White 9, Peacock 3, Orange Tip 2 (m), Wall Brown 2 (m), Small Copper 1 Somerleyton Estate   x Robert Quadling
27 Apr A Small White which overwintered in our garden as a pupa emerged today.  (📷 photo click here)  Lowestoft.   James Corton
27 Apr Today at Boyton marshes and Hollesley there were 250+ Green veined whites along the sea wall, mainly around Lepidium draba which is abundant there. Also 11 Peacocks and 1 Orange Tip. . Boyton marshes and Hollesley   Bob Turner
26 Apr Brimstone, 2 male Orange Tips, 6 Green-veined Whites, 12 Peacocks, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell (worn), Speckled Wood.  Lakenheath Fen   Martin Peers
25 Apr Holly Blue at Africa Alive, Kessingland. Didn't stop.
 Kessingland   James Corton
25 Apr Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked. Peacock 17, Green-veined White 4, Small White 3, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Speckled Wood 1 SWT Carlton Marshes   David Borderick
25 Apr Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes, with Holly Blue seen today we now have 12 species seen on the reserve to date. SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
24 Apr SWT Lound Lakes - Butterfly Transects 1 to 6 walked; Peacock 8, Green-veined White 3, Small Copper 2, Small White 2, Orange Tip 1 (m), Small Tortoiseshell 1, Large White 1.  Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes, with Green Hairstreak reported today on (Suffolk Side of Reserve) we now have 11 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
24 Apr My first Wall Brown of the year was this male this morning at SWT Carlton Marshes near the small roadside pen at the start of the road near the old visitor centre  (📷 photo click here)
SWT Carlton Marshes Butterfly Species update with our first Wall Brown (m) reported for this year, we now have 13 species seen on the reaserve to date
Todays sighting for a 1st Generation Wall Brown is the earlest record on SWT Carlton Marshes since 2017 when i started full Butterfly survey records. Walls in previous years have been seen between the 2nd to the 29th of May 		SWT Carlton Marshes   David Borderick
24 Apr Painted Lady and female Orange-tip (📷 photo click here) at Carlton Marshes today, plus several other whites, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and several Peacock. SWT Carlton Marshes   James Corton
24 Apr Noted today just south of Seckford Golf course Woodbridge were two Small Copper and one Painted Lady. . Woodbridge TM250480 Steve Fryett
24 Apr This afternoon, Peacocks, Brimstones, Holly Blues, "Whites", 1x Small Copper, 1x Speckled Wood and 2x Small Tortoiseshell. (📷 photo of ST click here)  Landseer Park   Phil Watkinson
24 Apr Another bright male Brimstone this morning in Gloster Road Martlesham Heath   Gary Plank
23 Apr Was out on Wortham Ling this morning and encountered 5 Small Copper butterflies at TM093794. (📷 photo click here)  Wortham Ling TM093794 Jono Forgham
23 Apr Today at Hazlewood Marshes we had the following butterflies: Comma, Orange Tips, Peacock, Small Copper x 2 ( note: the field adjacent to the path that usually has Clouded Yellow butterflies has been fenced off with no access) Hazlewood Marshe   Rob and Kerry Reeve
23 Apr Later, at Sudbourne Church, we had 3 x Orange tips and a Painted Lady on the ploughed field next to the churchyard.  Regards    Sudbourne Church   Rob and Kerry Reeve
23 Apr Survey walk carried out today. Results are Peacock 18, Orange-tip 16, Green-veined white 14, Speckled wood 5, Small tortoiseshell 2, Red admiral 1. The most notable difference to the same time last year is the increase in Orange-tip numbers. As before, most of the sightings are along the river wall. SWT Worlingham marshes   Peter Norfolk 
22 Apr Butterfly Transects 1 to 9 walked. Peacock 46, Green-veined White 7, Small Tortoiseshell 4, Orange Tip 4, Small White 3, Red Admiral 2 SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
22 Apr A fine male Brimstone seen from the bus in Eagle Way Martlesham Heath   Gary Plank
22 Apr We found two Green Hairstreaks at SWT Lackford Lakes this afternoon our first records for that site. (📷 photo click here)  SWT Lackford Lakes   Margie and David Carter
22 Apr Male brimstone in nightingale road today at 14,40 Ipswich   Peter Compton
21 Apr Today at Lackford Lakes SWT we had the following butterflies: Brimstone, Comma, Green-veined White x 3, a pair of Green Hairstreaks (📷 photo click here), Holly Blue, Orange Tip x 8 at least,  Peacock, Small Copper and Speckled Wood. Lackford Lakes SWT   Rob and Kerry Reeve
21 Apr Surprised to see a very worn male Large Tortoiseshell today in Bury St Edmunds. TL 87941 64156 or 52.2434894, 0.7513769 (📷 photos click here)  Bury St Edmunds   Rik Foulkes 
21 Apr Butterfly Species update , with Holly Blue reported today we now have 12 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
20 Apr One male brimstone on the wing pipers vale today 12.05 pm pipers vale   Peter Compton
19 Apr Suffolk Butterfly Conservation Brimstone and Buckthorn Project and BC Garden Survey.  Beccles TM4390: 18 April 2026: Sunny day to 16degC, wind mainly Beaufort 3 from West.  Around 14.00hrs x2 Brimstone repeatedly visited the 1.4m high Alder Buckthorn provided in 2022 by the Brimstone and Buckthorn Project.  Eggs were laid by both Brimstones, after which 184 eggs were counted.  This is the first evidence of immature stages on this Purging Buckthorn since planting.  Two Purging Buckthorn, also planted in 2022 about 18m from the Alder Buckthorn, had Brimstone larvae present in 2024 from which at least one adult emerged (see Sightings 4 July and 22 July 2024).  Immature stages were not found in 2025 and, so far, not this year either.  Photos attached of Brimstone egg laying on Alder Buckthorn, and one of the more crowded clusters of eggs laid on the Alder Buckthorn.  (📷 photos click here)  Beccles TM4390 Graham Jackson
18 Apr SWT Carlton Marshes Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked by Peter Norfolk. Peacock 29, Green-veined White 4, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Large White 1, Orange Tip 1 (m).  Butterfly Species update With Large White seen today,we now have 11 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
18 Apr Green Hairstreak out at National Trust Flatford (📷 photo click here)  Flatford   Julian Sidney
17 Apr Butterfly Transects 1 to 6 walked. Peacock 10, Small White 6, Comma 1, Brimstone 1 (m), Orange Tip 1 (m). SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
15 Apr Butterfly Transects 1 to 9 walked, Peacock 9, Red Admiral 1. To be expected low numbers due to a fresh cool breeze from the South,and temp around 13c SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
14 Apr Spending the morning at Newbourne Springs we had the following butterflies: Speckled Wood x 3, Small Copper x 2 (📷 photo click here), Brimstone, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, and good numbers of both Orange Tip and Green-veined White. Newbourne Springs   Rob and Kerry Reeve
14 Apr Somerleyton Estate Butterfly Transect walked today, Peacock 12, Small White 9, Orange Tip 2(m), Small Tortoiseshell 1 Somerleyton Estate   x Robert Quadling
14 Apr Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes, with Warden Andrew seeing Small Copper today we now have 10 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
14 Apr An afternoon walk today along the Waveney river wall had several Peacock, 2 Green-veined white, 1 Large white and 1 Speckled wood. Waveney river wall   Peter Norfolk
13 Apr Spent today at Lackford Lakes 5 male Orange Tips. 4 Peacocks. 3 Green Vein White . 1 Holly Blue. SWT Lackford Lakes   Steve & Anne  Green .
12 Apr SWT Carlton Marshes Butterfly Species update With Green-veined white reported for 12/4/26 we now have 10 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
12 Apr SWT Carlton Marshes Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked, Peacock 5. Sunny intervals but a moderate cool wind from the South so not many butterflies seen today. SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
10 Apr Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes, with Speckled Wood seen on the 9/4/26 we now have 9 species seen on the reserve to date. SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
9 Apr Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes. With Large White reported today we now have 8 species seen on the reserve to date. Butterfly Transects 1 to 6 walked today it was a disappointing count. Peacock 12, Speckled Wood 2, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Brimstone 1 (m), Orange Tip 1 (m) SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
9 Apr Two Brimstones ovipositing on buckthorn bush in my garden at Trimley St. Martin, the buds only just breaking. Trimley St. Martin   David Tipple
8 Apr Afternoon mooch with David Basham. Loads of bees, probably 25/30 species recorded. Early record for county Green Hairstreak butterfly, and much more . Speckled Wood 1 , Peacock 20 , Comma 4 , Orange tip 6, Small Tortoiseshell 10, Bimstone8, Green-veined white 1, Small White 2 Earl Stonham?, Suffolk   x Graham Denny
8 Apr During a long walk through much of Kings Forest west of North Stow this morning, I saw the following butterflies: 2 Orange Tips (males), 4 Green-veined Whites, c17 Brimstones, 1 Speckled Wood, c25 Peacocks, 4 Commas. Kings Forest   Martin Peers
8 Apr Butterfly transects 1 to 9 walked, Peacock 67, Small Tortoiseshell 11, Small White 2, Brimstone 2 (m + f).  Butterfly Species update - with Orange Tip Butterfly reported, we now have 9 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
8 Apr Butterfly Species update for SWT Lound Lakes. Warden Andrew reported today,Orange Tip and Green-veined white on the reserve, so we now have 7 Species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
8 Apr A few sightings in the wood this afternoon - several Peacock, two Green-veined white, one male Brimstone and a male Orange-tip. Good for woodland flowers too - wood anemone, wood sorrel and bluebells just beginning to open. Mutford Wood 52.444, 1.658 Peter Norfolk 
8 Apr Mill Stream this afternoon, Peacock, Comma, Brimstone, and 2x Speckled Wood. (📷 photo click here)  Mill Stream, Ipswich   Phil Watkinson
7 Apr Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked today by Peter Norfolk, Peacock 15, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Brimstone 1. SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
7 Apr Speckled Woods spiralling over a sunlit shaft in the woodland belt of Landseer Park. Landseer Park.   Julian Dowding
6 Apr Small Tortoiseshell egg laying on Common Nettle, Landseer Park.   Julian Dowding
6 Apr We saw our first Holly Blue in the car park at RSPB Boyton Marshes this afternoon.  (📷 photo click here)  RSPB Boyton Marshes   Margie and David Carter
6 Apr SWT Carlton Marshes Butterfly Species update, with Small White seen today we now have 8 species seen on the reserve to date. SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
6 Apr Lovely  sunny day in shafto road garden our first male Orange-tip and a single Peacock. Ipswich   Steve & Anne Green
6 Apr  At Mill Stream this afternoon (approx. 2pm), Peacock 10+, Brimstone (all male) 10+, Comma x5 and one male Orange Tip.  (📷 photos of B & O-t click here)  Mill Stream   Phil Watkinson
6 Apr First Holly Blue of the year. Also two Large White, one Brimstone, one Peacock. Broom Hill, Ipswich   Malcom Farrow
5 Apr Male Brimstone in Kesgrave/Dobbs Wood this morning. Peacock and Small White in the garden. Kesgrave/Dobbs Wood   Gary Plank
5 Apr One male Orange Tip seen in a Saxmundham garden today Saxmundham   Bob Turner
4 Apr First walk for Butterfly Transects 1 to 6, Peacock 17, Comma 1 SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
4 Apr Two species seen at Suffolk Sands Felixstowe today a Peacock and nfy for me a Green-veined White  Felixstowe   b William Brame
1 Apr I saw a male Orange Tip and 2 male Brimstones in King's Forest, near West Stow King's Forest TL8070 Martin Peers
1 Apr First transects 1 to 9 walked today butterflies recorded, 18 Peacock, 2 Comma SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
         
March SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW SSW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF MF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 11      
         
29 Mar Holly Blue - in the early afternoon in a garden in Hayman Rd, flitting over a tall Privet hedge. This is behind All Hallows Church, where they have 9 Swift boxes installed and a wildlife patch and bug hotels E Ipswich   Julian Dowding
26 Mar An early male Orange Tip in my garden Trimley St Martin   David Tipple
26 Mar I saw a male Orange-tip butterfly today in Polstead I believe this may be the first sighting of this species in Suffolk for 2026. - Polstead   Val Lockwood
25 Mar Had a walk round today, despite the cold strong breeze, I did find 3 Peacock and 2 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
24 Mar Butterfly Species update, just had a reliable report of 1 Painted Lady butterfly seen on the 24/3/26 ,we now have 7 species seen on the reserve to date. SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
24 Mar Several Peacock on the Blackthorn blossom around the perimeter of Shalford Meadow, Gt Cornard. Good to see two or three Small Tortoiseshell too, one of which was trying to court a Peacock!  (📷 photo click here)  This is the second observation of this behaviour reported this year. Is this why Small Tortoiseshells are becoming scarce? Great Cornard   James Corton
22 Mar  Butterfly Species update, a Speckled Wood Butterfly was reported.  We now have 6 species seen on the reserve to date   SWT Carlton Marshes    x Robert Quadling
21 Mar  I saw the following butterflies: Small White 1,  Small Tortoiseshell 1, Peacock 1. Friar's Meadow, Sudbury    Martin Peers
19 Mar While walking with friends in Onehouse Wood on 19th March, we saw the following butterflies: 8+ Brimstones, 5 Peacocks and 2 Commas. Onehouse Wood   Martin Peers
19 Mar Brimstone and Comma Butterflies seen in Santon Downham Churchyard today  Santon Downham   David & Maggie Carter 
19 Mar A few butterflies were out in sun yesterday at Rushmere Common Ipswich in an hour and half whilst my other half visited a friend in hospital 2 Small White nfy, 4 Brimstone, 2 Comma and 9 Peacock noted Rushmere Common   b William Brame
19 Mar At Mill Stream this afternoon (approx. 4pm) Comma x1 and Peacock x1.  (📷 photo click here)  Mill Stream   Phil Watkinson
19 Mar SWT Carlton Marshes Good to meet up with James Corton, Suffolk County Butterfly Recorder, looking for butterflies on reserve. A warm walk around Carlton Marshes today with Volunteer Warden and Wall Brown Species Champion, Robert Quadling. An impressive total of 20+ Peacock, including two or three courting pairs, a Comma, a few Brimstone and 4 or 5 Small Tortoiseshell.  (📷 photos of C & P click here)  SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling & James Corton
18 Mar A Small Copper was reported from Upper Hollesley Common by J. Richardson. Two days earlier than our earliest record Upper Hollesley Common   James Corton
18 Mar In the Spring sunshine, we had 3 x Peacock butterflies and a Brimstone (📷 photo click here) in our Wickham Market garden. Wickham Market   Rob and Kerry Reeve 
18 Mar Butterfly Species update, with Comma seen today we now have 5 species seen on reserve to date. SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
18 Mar I saw a Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on Goat Willow in my garden (close to Bury cemetery) today. Also seen were 2 Brimstones (m.,f.), Peacock and Red Admiral. Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
5 Mar Butterflies seen Landseer Park Ipswich 9 Peacock 3 Small Tortoiseshell 3 Comma surprisingly no Brimstone were on the wing at this very good site for that species 05/03/2026 Landseer Park Ipswich   William Brame
5 Mar Peacock and Brimstone in our Melton garden today. Melton   Steve Fryett
5 Mar Peacock and Comma at Gunton Meadow today. Lowestoft.  (📷 photos click here)  Gunton Meadow   James Corton
3 Mar Butterfly Species update for ,with a Comma seen today we now have 4 species of butterflies seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
2 Mar Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly seen today SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
2 Mar Male Brimstone and a Comma in our shafto road garden .  Ipswich   Steve & Anne  Green
         
February SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW SSW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF MF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 5      
         
         
         
25 Feb I saw 3 male Brimstone driving through the Moreton Hall area of Bury St Edmunds on this gloriously spring-like day. Bury St Edmunds   James Corton
25 Feb A Small Tortoiseshell was at Brundon Mill, Sudbury Sudbury   James Corton
25 Feb An obliging Comma at nearby Long Melford Country Park, which settled on my arm twice to sunbathe (📷 photo click here)  Long Melford   James Corton
25 Feb My first Brimstone of the year in my Ipswich garden Ipswich   William Plumb
25 Feb Brimstone 3 (2M 1F),  Peacock 4; Brett Vale Golf Course Raydon IP7 5LR Michael Bamford
25 Feb Today we had the first garden butterfly of the year, a Peacock, here in Wickham Market.   (📷 photo click here) Wickham Market   Rob and Kerry Reeve 
25 Feb A few Brimstone on the wing at Ickworth. Can't blame them it's lovely out Ickworth    
25 Feb One Small Tortoiseshell in our Barnby garden and one Peacock at Kessingland sluice this morning. Barnby   Peter Norfolk 
25 Feb A Peacock was seen flying in the warm sunshine at North Warren RSPB reserve today. . North Warren RSPB   Bob Turner
25 Feb My first butterfly of the year - Male Brimstone spotted flying along Aspall Road, Debenham at approx. 1pm.   Debenham   Phil Watkinson
25 Feb At the south end of the Wickham Market by-pass this morning we saw our first Brimstone of the year. Wickham Market   Rob and Kerry Reeve 
25 Feb Seen 6 Peacock Butterflies and 3 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies  (📷 photos click here)  A Peacock was being harassed by a Small Tortoiseshell (📷 photo click here)  SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
24 Feb Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell seen SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
24 Feb Peacock, Lackford TL794709.   Brimstone (📷 photo click here)  , Lackford TL792710    Lackford TL7971 Arthur Rivett
24 Feb A Peacock was on the wing in our Garden at Melton this morning. Melton   Steve Fryett
24 Feb Had 2 Peacock in the garden today Lowestoft   x Chris Mutimer
24 Feb And we are off 1st Butterfly sightings for 2026. SWT Lound Lakes 1 Peacock and 1 Brimstone SWT Lound Lakes   x Robert Quadling
24 Feb SWT Carlton Marshes 1 Red Admiral. SWT Carlton Marshes   x Robert Quadling
24 Feb I saw 3 male Brimstones today in TL7472, along the track towards Cavenham Heath from Tuddenham village. Cavenham Heath  TL7472 Martin Peers
22 Feb My first butterfly this year is a Peacock at Felixstowe Dip beach huts. Felixstowe   Steve Fryett
22 Feb I saw a Brimstone in my Bury St Edmunds garden (West Road) Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
22 Feb I have just seen my first Brimstone of the year (Twice), Flying strongly, in fact too strongly for photo! Shimpling   Peter Byford
21 Feb I had a male Brimstone in our garden on Saturday 21st Feb. It went into/ under ivy leaves on a south-facing wall, and I fancy it stayed there overnight. I saw it again next morning, the 22nd (but not today 23rd). Beccles TM4291 Paul Douch
         
January SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW SSW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF MF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 2       (📷 photo click here) 
         
14 Jan Our first Red Admiral for 2026 in our Shafto Road garden . Ipswich   Steve & Anne Green
13 Jan Lucie discovered this Peacock inside our home today. Not sure if this counts as a first of my year sighting or even when and how it got in but it's now safely settled down in our unheated summerhouse   (📷 photo click here)  Lowestoft TM5393 James Corton
         

Sightings from previous years 
2012    2013    2014    2015    2016    2017    2018    2019    2020    2021    2022    2023    2024    2025

Photographs from 2026 Sightings  (all pictures are the copyright of their owners)

 
Peacock - 📷 copyright James Corton


 Brimstone - 📷 copyright Arthur Rivett


 Peacock - 📷 copyright Robert Quadling
Small Tortoiseshell - 📷 copyright Robert Quadling


 Peacock harassed by Small Tortoiseshell - 📷 copyright Robert Quadling


 Peacock - 📷 copyright Rob Reeve
Comma - 📷 copyright James Corton


 Comma - 📷 copyright James Corton


Peacock - 📷 copyright James Corton
Comma - 📷 copyright Phil Watkinson


 Peacock - 📷 copyright Phil Watkinson


 Comma - 📷 copyright James Corton


Comma - 📷 copyright James Corton
 

 Peacock - 📷 copyright James Corton


 Brimstone - 📷 copyright Rob Reeve
Small Tortoiseshell showing interest in Peacock - 📷 copyright James Corton


 Brimstone - 📷 copyright Phil Watkinson


 Orange-tip - 📷 copyright Phil Watkinson
Holly Blue - 📷 copyright David Carter


Speckled Wood - 📷 copyright Phil Watkinson


 Small Copper - 📷 © Rob Reeve
Large Tortoiseshell - 📷 © Rik Foulkes


 Large Tortoiseshell - 📷 © Rik Foulkes


 Large Tortoiseshell - 📷 © Rik Foulkes
Brimstone egg laying - 📷 © Graham Jackson


Brimstone eggs - 📷 © Graham Jackson


Green Hairstreak - 📷 © Rob  Reeve
Green Hairstreak - 📷 © Julian Sidney


 Green Hairstreak - 📷 © Julian Sidney


 Green Hairstreak - 📷 © David Carter


Small Copper  - 📷 © Jono Forgham


Small Tortoiseshell - 📷 © Phil Watkinson



 Orange-tip female - 📷 © James Corton
Wall Brown - 📷 © David Borderick


 Small White - 📷 © James Corton


 Small Heath - 📷 © Julian Sidney
Orange-tip female - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Small Copper - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Painted Lady - 📷 © Jeremy Ridout
Small Copper  - 📷 © James Corton


 Small Copper  - 📷 © James Corton


 Painted Lady - 📷 © James Corton
Small Heath - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Holly Blue - 📷 © Graham Jackson


 Holly Blue - 📷 © Phil Watkinson
Green Hairstreak - 📷 © Robert Quadling


 Brown Argus - 📷 © Julian Sidney


 Brown Argus - 📷 © Julian Sidney
Painted Lady - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Painted Lady - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Wall Brown - 📷 © Rob Reeve
Newly hatched Brimstone larva - 📷 © Graham Jackson


Brown Argus - 📷 © Paul Gilson


Small Heath - 📷 © Paul Gilson


Brown Argus - 📷 © James Corton


 Holly Blue - 📷 © James Corton


 Marsh Fritillary - 📷 © Rob Reeve  
     
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